A hybrid system is when your solar panels remain connected to the grid’s power lines and have a backup battery system to store excess power. The sun’s energy absorbed by the solar panels goes through an inverter to create usable electricity. From there, electricity either goes to your home, to your battery, or to the grid.

The benefit of a hybrid solar system is that you will always have power in any situation. With a backup battery, the excess energy that your solar panels create (but your home does not use), will be stored in this battery. Then, when the sun is not shining, this battery will provide your power during the night, system blackouts, or inclement weather.

With a hybrid solar system, if you were to use up all the power in your battery, you have the ability to draw power from the electrical grid.

Modern hybrid systems combine solar and battery storage in one and are now available in many different forms and configurations. Due to the decreasing cost of battery storage, systems that are already connected to the electricity grid can start taking advantage of battery storage as well. This means being able to store solar energy that is generated during the day and using it at night. When the stored energy is depleted, the grid is there as a back up, allowing consumers to have the best of both worlds. Hybrid systems are also able to charge the batteries using cheap off-peak electricity (usually after midnight to 6am).